Re: [Bug-wget] licensing issue.

[Keisial]

Crazy Pete wrote:
> Hi everyone!
>
> I have created the following project: 
>
> http://www.petenix.org/dolomedes.html
>
> and specifically the portion of the src in urls.cpp posted here:
>
> http://codepad.org/EagJ1YnB
>
> is taken in part from  wget-1.11.4/src/url.c +367
>
> I have written this sort of escaping function before without looking at wget 
> source or i wouldn't even ask, but this function is written specifically to 
> pass the tests mentioned in that wget source citation and i want to know if 
> it will bother anyone if i (and i will credit wget of course) release this 
> dolomedes project LGPL instead of GPL?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Crazy Pete
>   
If you haven't used the wget code, it's YOUR code, you license it
whoever it fits you.
Passing a test is a specification [1]. The copyright is over how it is
implemented not over
what it has to do.
On the other hand, if you used wget code and then changed it, it would
still be a derivative work [2].

IANAL, for legal advice ask your lawyer, and so on.

1-This may get into a gray area when you have tests that link against
the program, although your code being GPL-compatible, that wouldn't
affect you.
2-An oversimplification, but this way you are completely safe.